Dario Osorio is now expected to end up at Red Bull Bragantino after Wolves came within touching distance of taking the exciting Chile international to the Premier League, according to Sport.
A lot has changed at Molineux since Osorio first registered on their radar months ago.
Amid such upheaval off the pitch, is this a classic case of a club taking their eye off the ball? With a long-term target set to slip through their fingers. Or have Wolverhampton Wanderers simply had second thoughts?
Osorio, despite scoring seven goals in his breakthrough season at Universidad de Chile, has been criticised rather heavily of late. Some believe such sustained transfer speculation had quite the negative effect on his previously eye-catching form.
Whatever the reason, the chances of Osorio donning Old Gold in the New Year now look slim.
Wolves and Barcelona now look set to miss out on Chile ace Dario Osorio
According to Chilean publication El Cancha, Wolves were ‘very close’ to signing Osorio in the summer. Mathew Hobbs, appointed as the club’s new sporting director this week, even travelled to South America in order to conduct negotiations, with Wolves scouting Osorio during an U20 clash between Chile and England in September.
Things have gone quiet since then. Now, the smart money is on Osorio becoming the latest talented young player to enrol in the prestigious Red Bull finishing school.
Red Bull Bragantino, Sport say, are now closing in on perhaps the most promising Chilean footballer of his generation. RB Leipzig’s South American sister club will reportedly pay around £7 million fee. A price-tag which put off La Liga giants Barcelona.
Southampton also reportedly missed out on Osorio; an ‘extraordinary‘ wideman likened to Gareth Bale, Angel di Maria and Brazil international Raphinha in recent times.
“In recent times, he has stagnated a bit. But, for me, it is clearly because of the position where he is playing,” says former Universidad goalkeeper Johnny Herrera; encouraging his former club to field Osorio in a wider role free of defensive responsibilities.
“I think that when he stands out more is when he plays like Gareth Bale; freer and behind a more centralised, number nine with him on the wing. He’s half a Gareth Bale lookalike.”
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